One sign of Lasik surgery failure is pressure-induced stromal keratitis (PISK). PISK is an inflammatory reaction caused by the instruments used during the procedure that can erode the corneal stroma. This condition can occur within days or sometimes even years after the surgery.
What is the LASIK complication rate? The LASIK complication rate is less than 1%. LASIK complications include infections as well as dislocation of the corneal flap that's made during the surgery. Surgical complications from laser vision correction are extremely rare.
Certain conditions, such as autoimmune diseases (e.g., lupus, rheumatoid arthritis), immunodeficiency states (e.g., HIV) and diabetes, and some medications (e.g., retinoic acid and steroids) may prevent proper healing after a refractive procedure.
If the LASIK flap is not made correctly, it may fail to adhere properly to the eye's surface or microscopic wrinkles called striae (STRIE-ee) could develop in the flap. These flap complications can cause optical aberrations and distorted vision.
How Often Does LASIK Not Work? Typically less than 5 percent of the time, LASIK doesn't meet the patient's expectations for vision improvement. For those patients, even after healing, there may be some residual nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism.
However, you may still experience blurry vision or vision fluctuations from time to time as you heal. Your eyes are adjusting to the newly reshaped cornea. They need time to get used to functioning in a new way. It will take anywhere from three to six months for your eyes to fully heal.
If your vision is still noticeably blurred three months after LASIK, you may need an enhancement. To determine whether you're a good candidate for a LASIK enhancement, your eye doctor will re-evaluate your corneas with the same methods used prior to your first LASIK procedure.
The chances of experiencing complications from laser eye surgery, including various minor ones, has been documented to be less than one per cent. Most laser eye surgery complications actually arise when the patients treated are not good candidates for the procedure.
A patient that demands a second LASIK procedure with cataracts can't be helped with LASIK. This is because cataracts affect the natural lens of the eye, while LASIK reshapes the cornea.
Generally, there is no cap or specific number of times a person can undergo LASIK surgery.
Your Vision Is Fluctuating
You are not a good LASIK candidate if your contact lens or glasses prescription is fluctuating. Most ophthalmologists prefer that your prescription be stable for a minimum of one year before considering laser eye surgery.
All surgeries carry some risk of complications and side effects, but LASIK is generally considered a safe procedure with a low complication rate. In fact, LASIK is one of the safest elective surgical procedures available today, with a complication rate estimated to be less than 1%.
Generally speaking, most LASIK eye surgeons agree on 25-40 as the ideal age range for LASIK eye surgery candidacy for a few reasons. By the age of 25, eyeglasses and contact lens prescriptions have most likely stabilized. A stable prescription is one of the hallmarks of a good LASIK candidate.
LASIK Eye Surgery Lifetime Warranty
If at any time you experience visual changes, you will receive a same-technology procedure free of charge when deemed medically appropriate by the surgeon.
Various reported studies report the LASIK percent success rate is at least 96%. The American refractive surgery council reports an even higher 99% of successful Lasik eye surgery.
There are 2 different types: laser eye surgery and lens surgery. Both types of surgery can make you less dependent on glasses or contact lenses. Research shows that both are safe and effective.
That said, it's rare that the LASIK procedure itself or complications from the surgery caused the astigmatism. If your original prescription had high amounts of astigmatism, it's possible that you have some residual prescription left over in that eye (astigmatism and myopia).
While the effects of LASIK surgery are permanent, the benefits can decrease over time. For most patients, the results of LASIK will last a lifetime. About 10-12% of patients nationwide will need an enhancement surgery because of anatomical changes to the eye/eyes.
Dry Eyes: Creating the LASIK flap will temporarily disrupt nerves that supply the cornea. These nerves usually regenerate in the first 3-6 months after LASIK. During this time, the eyes tend to be dry and this can cause vision to be blurred or to fluctuate.
The iris may become lighter due to iris depigmentation. Some medications of certain varieties can cause iris hyperpigmentation, which darkens the iris. LASIK will not turn brown eyes blue. A sudden change in iris colour should be seen by an ophthalmologist immediately.
Once the full healing process after Eye LASIK surgery has been completed, your optimum visual acuity will be reached. After 3 to 6 months your eyesight will have reached its optimum benefit from the surgery. In many cases 20/20 vision is achieved, but some patients find they need reading glasses for close work.
Eye protection is especially important at this time, as the flap created in your cornea during surgery is now re-attaching as part of the body's natural healing process. Rubbing or touching the eyes at this time could cause the flap to become dislodged, interrupting the healing process.
Since your eyes are still healing, they will be especially sensitive in the first 24 hours after the LASIK procedure. Because of this, it's recommended to wait at least 24 hours before using your phone, computer, tablet or watching TV.
When the flap moves out of place, it's referred to as LASIK flap dislocation. If you're wondering how to tell if your LASIK flap has moved, rest assured that you'll know. Symptoms include pain, discomfort, watering, and/or blurry vision.